Oh Christmas!

Christmas Day is an unknown with foster kids. Unknown how many you will have, unknown how they will be without their other families, Unknown what their traditions are. So when it goes well... Woohoo and a good one it was too!

After months of buying little gifts so there would be lots to open but little to spend, the day rolled in. Santa stopped by, and gave all of the children quite similar gifts. Pencils, rubbers, sleeping bag, beach towel etc.

After a cooked breakfast we sat down and the look of joy with almost every gift. Everyone had a favourite gift of the day. Especially me! Well a couple of favs. Most notable was a gift from Miss 13s mum. Miss 13s mum joined us, and although it had the potential to be awkward it wasn't. She brought us a photo frame of pictures with Miss 13 as a baby/child. Something we never thought we would have!

The other kids have talked to their mums on the phone and all has gone smooth and well. The kids are happy, that's what matters!


And one last reminder...if you haven't clicked one of the 'badges' to Top Mommy Blogs today...click here: http://www.topmommyblogs.com/ to vote. Thank you.

Holidays!

Please, if I repeat anything from previous posts please forgive me! I am writing this from the inside of a tent with no cellphone reception... So I am unable to flick through previous posts before writing! There is a smudge of signal about 20 metres to my left... But there are a number of ducks and mosquitos. Neither of which I take fondly to! 

I could of course write this from the comfort of the aunties' home where there is wifi... But... Bed and the ability to just shut my eyes when writing becomes too hard is just too tempting. 

Last night we brought miss 15 and miss 13 away on a camping holiday. Mr 12 and miss 8 are staying elsewhere for a week to give us a bit of well deserved time off. We took a 12.5 hour drive to get to our destination...the girls slept most of the way. One was car sick, the other just sleeps anytime the car gets to 100kph! 

This holiday is a significant one for us. The first one since we gained parenting orders for Miss 13. We didn't have to ask permission to take her away, we were able to sign the guardian permission form for her to take place in a dangerous activity (the risk was low...and it meant a huge amount to her... She has been wanting to do something that requires guardian consent for a long long time! You would be surprised at how many doors it closes). Tonight she is off with Mr32 at her first ever concert, and I guarantee she is having a ball. That is how I have managed to get some alone time to update my blog! 

Today we went to a petting zoo type place. We went for Miss 13 who is sheep obsessed but were surprised to discover that many of the animals miss 15 had never seen before so it was all extremely exciting. She saw her first donkey, deer and emu. We even saw baby emu's, they were only about 30cm tall and super adorable. She also got to shear a sheep (miss 13 was too worried about people looking at her to give it a go) and they both got to bottle feed a lamb. 

Mr 12 and Miss 8 participated in their big meeting that will help decide their future. Unfortunately it became pretty clear to them that what they hope for is an unlikely expectation.  There were lots of tears from Miss 8, and lots of bad attitude from Mr 12. Which did make going away on holiday without them a little hard... But I did reinforce they were going on a little holiday of their own, and they were quite looking forward to it by the time we said goodbye on Friday. 

I have finished work for the year, and although it was a really challenging year I am excited about the step up I plan to take next year. 

Christmas is fast approaching, this will be an incredibly interesting experience... I hope I have time to blog as it all unfolds as it certainly won't be 'typical'. 

And one last reminder...if you haven't clicked one of the 'badges' to Top Mommy Blogs today...click here: http://www.topmommyblogs.com/ to vote. Thank you.

We made it!

We did it! We made it! A week ago yesterday we finally became the legal guardians of Miss 13. It's been a bit of a roller coaster week though.

Miss 13 has had her swings and roundabouts. Highs where she is excited to have stability in her life, and lows--- were I am the worst person in the world because she can't see the aunts that caused so much damage to her and her siblings. (Still going to have regular contact with mum and siblings).

I have found the week hard too. This time of year is always hard for me! Just unfortunate that this time around it has coincided with what should be a happy time!

Miss 15 is beginning to open up about some of what she has witnessed in her short life (Google genocide in west Papua). Language still a little bit of an issue! Struggling to explain deodorant kindly!

Mr 12 has lots of ups and downs and there should be some certainty in his life before Christmas. Unfortunately it probably won't be the news he wants. He has come around to the idea of going to school with miss 13 and miss 15 next year... So can only imagine what their teachers are going to think of the multi racial family! I have read a few blogs on mixed racial parenting... And it appears people aren't as open as you would expect them to be!

Miss 8 cruising along nicely. Wouldn't know that she is a kid with a mucky background. Takes things in her stride, and even better... Loves making school lunches.


And one last reminder...if you haven't clicked one of the 'badges' to Top Mommy Blogs today...click here: http://www.topmommyblogs.com/ to vote. Thank you.